You Can't Take Me
by Kaejii
Summary: Hannah Haefeli, a second year at Duel Academy, is having rivalry problems with Jaden Yuki. She doesn't like him, and he doesn't like her, but there's something more to their arguements than misunderstandings and opposing views.
1. Chapter 1

Nothing was to be heard inside the silent lecture hall, excluding the scratching of pencils and rustling of papers. Hannah, a pale haired girl sporting the female Obelisk Blue uniform, allowed her eyelids to dip shut for a moment. Cool air flowed through her nasal passages and for a moment she lost herself in the noises of the room. A slight squeaking noise snapped her eyes open, and she twitched a bit, startled. Her lively gray eyes locked on her neighbor's squeaky chair as she realized what the sound had been. She closed her eyes for another moment, losing herself in the ebb and flow of the sounds of the room.

A low, stifled giggle emitted from somewhere in the section below her. Her lids flashed open again, displaying her lively blue-gray eyes. Her pupils locked in on Jaden Yuki, a mildly attractive Slifer Red student that had a fantastic dueling reputation. His grades sucked but apparently he was a prodigal duelist, considering he had beaten Professor Crowler on the first day. Her eyes narrowed at the back of his Kuriboh-cut. He pissed her off so much. She HATED arrogant people. And she especially hated arrogant people who had sass and an attitude. And Jaden was all three.

Hannah glanced to her left, past the boy with the squeaky chair, but couldn't see the end of the line. On her right, Alexis, a dark blonde duelist and Hannah's best friend, wasn't paying attention either. Her chin perched comfortably on the heel of her palm, her eyes had drooped to half mast, a small blissful smile touching her lips. Hannah followed her friend's gaze, lifting an eyebrow in disapproval. Alexis had a crush on Jaden, but she covered it very well. He had no idea, and when Alexis had confessed her admirations, Hannah had had a double take. She very much disliked Jaden, but it didn't stop her from staying friends with Alexis. As Hannah dug her elbow into Alexis's ribs, a ringing noise echoed in the hall.

A bustle of activity shook the atmosphere as the students began chatting, packing up, or pushing in their chairs. Chazz Princeton, school rich kid, shoved back his chair with a scowl on his face. He was actually very likable, once you earned his trust past his snobbish exterior. Hannah had been trying to arrange something between Chazz and Alexis, but neither was cooperating. Alexis especially. Hannah smiled cheerily up at Chazz, who grunted in acknowledgement with a tiny smile.

Not a smirk. A smile. She was making progress. A pair of pale hands snaked around the upper half of Hannah's face from behind. A giggle emitted from behind her.

Alexis!" she swatted at her friend's arms. Hannah grinned as she realized that another voice was also emitting a low chuckle. As Alexis's fingers parted, she blinked up in surprise at Chazz, Prince stoneface, laughing. She quirked the corner of her mouth in a smile and lifted a meaningful eyebrow at Alexis, who pretended not to notice.

Hannah rolled her eyes at her friend's oblivion. "Lunchtime, Lexie!" Hannah wrapped her own fingers around her friend's wrist, tugging her upright. Alexis stood a good head taller than Hannah, but neither of the girls seemed to notice. As they turned to the door, they caught sight of Chazz's robe flowing out the door, already. He moved quickly and didn't waste time. A few students were still at their desks finishing up their work as the two girls strolled out the door.

As Hannah turned to Alexis to share a joke, she caught sight of a kid behind her. Her poised mouth snapped shut into a frown and she gave a hard glare before turning back around, sticking her nose in the air and lengthening her stride. Her odd behavior made Alexis blink in confusion, twisting her head back where Hannah had last looked. Syrus Truesdale, Chumley Huffington, Bastion Misawa, and Jaden Yuki had just left the lecture hall. The taller girl's eyebrows knit in confusion as she jogged faster to catch up to her friend.

"Hannah, what is it?" the taller blonde's curiosity was piqued.

"Nothing." The shorter girl gritted her teeth and strode even faster.

"Hey, slow down! What, are you afraid the salad bar will run out?" three of the boys exploded in laughter. Bastion having still been flipping through his papers, had missed it.

Hannah stopped in her tracks, hands curling into deadly-looking fists. She was not exactly skinny, but that was because she was more stocky and muscular. Most students spent all of their time socializing or figuring out new strategies for duels. Hannah, being a workaholic, spent a lot of her time exercising and staying strong, with dueling strategies coming next. Every morning she woke up early and went for a jog before classes. Every week she marathoned the exterior of the island. She even followed an agility and flexibility kata that she practiced most days. Alexis may not do a lot of athletic stuff, but then again she was very slender to start with. And, here was this ignorant little boy calling them fat. A part of her realized that he was just messing, but the competitive part of her would not allow for it.

Alexis tapped her friend's shoulder, recognizing her tenseness, being very aware of Hannah's devotion to activity and competitive nature. She offered her own glare to Jaden, who merely passed by, smirking. As he brushed Hannah's shoulder, a hand shot out and grabbed his collar, lifting him against the wall, despite him being noticeably taller than his pale-haired attacker. His eyes bulged visibly and Syrus smothered a shriek while Bastion's papers fell out of his hands. Alexis giggled nervously.

Jaden's eyes were frightened saucers, gazing down into the depths of Hannah's blazing, angry ones. A brave hand gently touched Hannah's shoulder temporarily distracting her. Alexis's worried eyes nudged Hannah back to reality. Hannah looked away, recognizing what she was doing, but still not letting go of her oppressor. She turned back to Jaden, who was still frightened and pinned to the wall. She looked him straight in the eye, lifting one eyebrow coyly, "NEVER diss a girl by talking about her weight. You know NOTHING about me." Then, ever so slowly, she loosened her grip on his collar, allowing him to fall through her fingers to the floor. Flexing her hand, she mumbled, "I should do more lifting exercises like that..." Alexis grabbed her friend's proffered wrist and took off down the hallway dragging her friend after her.

Jaden leaned forward, pushing off the wall and rubbing the back of his head when it had initially connected with the wall. His face was a mask of a strange twist of emotions, confused by Hannah's furious, then coy reaction to his jibe. He replayed those last moments in his mind, remembering the way she had grabbed and lifted him with such ease and lack of fear for consequences, and how her lively gray eyes had radiated with passion and emotion. Not to mention how she had realized his game and turned the tables on him, flippantly dropping him in a disgraceful heap, her long hair flicking him in the face.

"You all right, Jay?" The little blue-haired boy's concern brought Jaden back to Earth.  
>"That looked like it hurt." Bastion had reassembled his papers and now gripped them tightly.<br>"Yeah, I'm fine guys. But... That was really weird, don't you think?" He trailed off, watching the two girls turn the corner.

"Just be glad she only slammed you into the wall and decided you were too interesting to beat half to death." The boys spun around nervously. Atticus Rhodes, Alexis's older brother was leaning against the wall behind them, smirking in amusement.

"Wha-"

"Hannah is a good friend of Alexis's. I've known her a while. You don't want to mess with her." He chuckled a bit, remembering his own experiences with her. He hesitated, uncertain whether or not he should impart more information to the first years. "You know, her cousin is married to Seto Kaiba."

Jaden's eyes widened at the last statement. After a moment he nodded, accepting Atticus's story as fact, and turned away to head to the cafeteria.

"You know, Jaden, you were just BEGGING for that." Jaden spun around, flaring in anger. Atticus pushed off the wall, approaching the other boy, looked down at him. "There are other ways to get girls, especially girls like Hannah, than pissing them off. It just makes you look like a jerk. I know. I used to live with one." He chuckled as he strolled past them, waving a goodbye over his shoulder.

The four boys just stood there, confused, until a rumbling noise echoed from Chumley's stomach, shattering the silence. Another moment passed and the boys howled with fits of laughter as they made their way to the cafeteria, following Hannah and the Rhodes' trail.

As they turned the corner, a low, childish giggle emitted from a doorway. A very lanky, blonde, but feminine man chuckled from his hiding spot. Professor Crowler wiped away tears of merriment. It always made his day when bad luck struck Jaden Yuki, ever since the day the boy had beaten him in a duel, with the professor using his personal deck. The unnaturally long, blonde, ponytailed man stood and stretched. "Ooo-hoo-hoo! Perfect! Now, all I have to do is leave destructive clues for Hannah, pointing to Jaden! It will all take care of itself!" He rubbed his hands together in anticipation, giggling as he scurried to his office.

Hannah glanced up in surprise as a slip of paper was discreetly passed to her. A yellow cuffed sleeve promptly disappeared from view. A tiny frown wrinkled her forehead as she pushed her physics paper to the side. Alexis, aware of the note by the crinkling of paper, glanced over too, an eyebrow lifted in curiosity.

_Dear Hannah,_

_I do not know what I have done to get on your bad side, but I would like to know why._

_Meet me by the West Field for a duel._

Hannah looked down, searching for a specific face. None came forward to reveal themselves, but it didn't matter. She knew who the sender had been.

Hannah's eyes narrowed in anger, dislike, resentment, and irritation. She tossed the note into Alexis's waiting hands. The taller girl scanned the creased paper quickly. Her brow wrinkled in confusion. As the taller blonde digested the message, Hannah caught the flicker of a backward glance from Jaden. Her face unreadable, she balanced the note in one palm, just high enough so he could see it. Snapping her hand shut, curling her fingers in, she crushed it, making him twitch.

The wrinkled ball of paper fell from Hannah's hand to the desk and out of Jaden's line of sight. Her grimace morphed into a smirk as her eyes grilled holes in him. Jaden's eyes shrank to slits of annoyance. Glancing quickly at the teacher, her face morphed into a mien of flippant disgust as she deliberately lowered her pointer, ring, and pinky fingers. His eyes followed her every move, narrowed to mere slits, his teeth gritted in anger. Beside her, Alexis's eyes bulged in horror.

Hannah drew her lips into a pout and lifted her eyebrows into a "What?" expression. Jaden shook his head in disappointment and turned back to his desk, offering her a full view of the back of his sculpted hair. Alexis followed suit, saddened by her friend's reaction.

The soft grass crunched under Alexis's boots, the trees lining the path casting shadows as her fingers ran down the edges of the crumpled sheet of paper. Hannah stared straight ahead sullenly, her arms swinging half-heartedly. Suddenly, Alexis giggled. "Hannah... I think he has a crush on you!

The shorter girl stopped in her tracks, kicking a rock. "Are you kidding? Jaden doesn't like ANYONE! Especially not me. I kicked his ass without even trying, and humiliated him in front of his friends. If anything, he would be pissed off at me!"

"Well, apparently he's not."

"I hate him. He's an asshole! You know that."

Alexis glanced down, brushing the bushes that lined the side of the narrow path with her fingertips. "You shouldn't judge him just because he's a better duelist than you." She sought out Hannah's gaze, smiling hopefully. "You two could probably be good friends."

Hannah snorted. "Oh sure. Next you'll be telling me that Seto Kaiba doesn't really own Duel Academy."

Alexis grinned snarkily. "Well..."

Hannah swatted at her friend. "Naw, I just like teasing him. It's funny to watch him squirm and get furious and he can't do anything about it. Besides, this goes beyond dueling." With that, Hannah pried the top card off her deck with a flourish, staring at the description.  
>Alexis's interested mien swiftly transformed into a suggestive one. "So... You DO like him!"<p>

Hannah chuckled shortly. "Dream on, girl! I don't need a stuck up asshole of a boyfriend in my life. You like him. You can HAVE him!"

Alexis's eyes widened as her cheeks were dusted with crimson. Then, both girls started cracking up, scaring a flock of birds out of the trees nearby. Hannah breathed deeply, exhilarated by the smell of salt water. They had nearly reached the beach. Alexis paused, hearing the rhythmic ebb and flow of the waves. "I have to go. I should study for that science exam."

Hannah frowned in confusion. "But, you're like, the star of the class! You know everything!"

Alexis sighed, disheartened. "Why don't you go for a jog while I study? Then we can plan for that full-school dinner tomorrow."

Hannah rolled her eyes at the reminder of the event. "Sure, sure. See you in an hour. Or two." With that, she smiled a goodbye, turned on her heels, and fell into a jog that followed her usual route around the island. But she would have to cut it short and veer off her usual trail if she wanted to make it back to the dorm in time for showers. Damn curfew. It made sense, in a way, but it was annoying. The grassy path slowly transitioned into more soily ground, then almost sandy. Hannah paused, leaning against a tree for support; she pulled off one boot, then her sock. Setting the one bare, sock-tanned foot in the sand, she proceeded to strip her left foot of all bindings. Throwing her footwear into her backpack, the short, pale-haired girl tore out into the sand.

The first squall of sea-blown air whipped her long hair like a sail. Her eyes drifted shut as she dug her feet into the loose, tan dunes. After a minute of sprinting across the warm sand, she settled into a brisk jog. Her easy breathing quickly established a cut time rhythm with her footsteps. Bre-eathe, out, out. Bre-eathe, out, out. All too soon, the sand ended and she met grass once more. The path began to incline and soon the muscular girl was pumping up the hill. The grassy pathway gave way to rocks. Hannah paused at the top on the hill.

A large, flat, warm stone was perched at the top. Leaning her shoulder against it, she donned her socks and shoes. The path led through a field near the school. But instead of following the field, she stuck to the edge of the grassy expanse and continued on the outskirts of the island. The fields then gave way to a beautiful ocean view, but Hannah's feet met solid rock. The ridged cliffs consisted of red sandstone and veins of quartz. After about a mile, the cliffs began to tilt downwards, leading into much shorter cliffs, except these cliffs were carpeted in a thick layer of mossy grass. The Slifer Red dorms were somewhere around here. They were the only buildings she would probably pass today.

Off the edge of the cliffs were more stone outcroppings. And perched upon one of them was a familiar red jacket holding a fishing rod. A snarky grin gradually spread across her face as she realized who it was. Scanning the outcroppings, she picked out a broad, flat path which Jaden must have used to get to his prime fishing spot. If she was to get down there, she would have to slide down the cliff to the first outcropping. She lowered herself to the ground and crept stealthily to the edge, her belly brushing the grass. The cliff below her had various hand and footholds. Her eyes lit up as a plan came to mind.

A whoosh of air escaped Jaden's pursed lips. The warm sun beat down on his neck and face. A small, tender smile touched his lips as he gazed down at the bobber in the water. He loved coming out here. It gave him a chance to relax by himself. He wasn't exactly sure what kind of fish lived in the little bay below him since he had never caught one, but just sitting and enjoying the warm rays was enough. The ebb and flow of the tide rushing against the rocks was soothing enough to make him want to doze off. A tumbling noise filtered through his hazy consciousness, but he paid no mind to it, as many animals lived in the cliffs. A bird or something had probably kicked a rock down the cliff. In fact, just the other day he had watched a squirrel leaping across the sheer rock face and loosening a bunch of pebbles that tumbled down the cliff wall. Maybe he should-

Two pinpoints of pain mixed with a tickling sensation erupted in his sides. His eyes flew open and a tiny squeal of alarm flew out his open mouth as he jumped, losing his grip on his perch. His eyes opened even wider in fear as he began to slip down the steep outcropping. His eyelids automatically closed as he anticipated impact with the water. But, he slowly stopped sliding and no soaking came. Carefully he cracked open one eye, then the other. Before he could move, a swell rose up and sucked him off the edge of the wall.

Hannah froze at the top of the subcliff, horrified. She had only meant to scare him, not send him down into the bay, despite the fact she was still mad at him. His fishing rod lay on the rocks next to her. She hurriedly scooped it up and began reeling in the line so he would not hurt himself on the hook. But, the line only tightened. Fearful, she yanked harder, not thinking that it might be stuck on Jaden himself. A mass of glittering iridescent scales flew out of the water. Hannah almost dropped the line in surprise. But instead she took on a determined pose and pulled it up and out of the water, tossing it on the outcropping behind her. Spinning back to the open water, she glanced around one last time, seeing if anyone was nearby. No one.

The muscular girl ripped off her boots and leaped off the edge, landing on the cliff face and riding down it like a surfboard, leaving a trail of dust. She had only ridden a surfboard a few times, but the pose came easily to her. Her rough movement was suddenly halted as her socked feet met a tiny stone edge, the same that had stopped Jaden's descent. Another rough wave washed in, soaking her, almost sucking her off the wall like Jaden had, but she grabbed a branch from the cliff vegetation. A heavy mass bashed into her and she grabbed at it, recognizing the red jacket, even underwater. Suddenly, the stifling wall of liquid was gone, leaving a very soaked Hannah clinging to the branch for dear life and an extremely frightened drowned rat of a duelist clinging to her awkwardly, since he was so much taller than she. Slowly cracking one eye open, he muttered, "Is it safe?" He opened his other eye, realized who his anchor was, narrowed his eyes, and slapped her across the face. "WHAT THE HELL'D YOU DO THAT FOR?" But before Hannah could answer, another wave washed in, taking them by surprise.

Hannah lost her grip on the tree branch, leaving them at the mercy of the water. After a moment of weightlessness in the mildly salty liquid, the water level sank and both duelists stood sputtering in the waist-deep water. Hannah gave him the dirtiest look, but the effect was ruined by him belching water back into the bay. Angrily, she grabbed him by the elbow and dragged him roughly to the waters' edge a little ways down from where he had been fishing moments before.

Not leaving any room for argument, Hannah shoved him out of the water onto the flat rock, a much lower outcropping. By the time the next swell had washed in, the two duelists had made their way to higher ground. Jaden's legs gave out beneath him and he collapsed onto his hands and knees. Hannah turned away to give him privacy as he emptied the watery contents of his stomach. As his retching subsided, Hannah lifted him by the elbow and forced him to find hand and foot holds and scale the wall. "We're almost back to where you were."

"How would you know that? You live at the top of the mountain!"

"That's none of your business. Now move your ass. We're both wet." He snickered, but did as she told him. Moments later the two duelists had sprawled out on the warm rocks, soaking in the warmth as their clothes dried. Hannah sat up abruptly, remembering her feud with the boy next to her. Wringing out the edge of her skirt, and then her socks, she began pulling on her shoes.

"Where you going?" She jumped a bit, kicking herself. She had hoped to get away without him noticing. "I-I have things to take care of before curfew." She spun to face him, one shoe still half on, her eyes blazing. "Oh, by the way, what just happened means NOTHING!" If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that he almost... pouted. She stomped her shoe the rest on the way on to hide her confusion.

"'Kay." The brown-haired boy gazed off nonchalantly, as if he didn't care. But Hannah knew better; his attitude towards her had changed. Her curiosity was piqued.


	2. Chapter 2

"It was so weird! It was like... He didn't want me to leave!" Hannah flopped onto her bed, gazing up at the ceiling. 

Alexis pushed off the wall, gazing around the large room taking in the king-sized bed, balcony, the large, well-maintained bathroom, and elaborate furniture. A second year Obelisk Blue student had even more privileges than a first year's extensive accommodations. One would think that they would split up the luxuries equally so even the Slifer Red dorms would be well accommodated. "I already told you he likes you." She fiddled with the tips of her dueling gloves. "And you don't know it, but you like him too."

Hannah sat up in alarm. "You're kidding, right?" She shook her head, as if trying to rid her head of related thoughts. "Jaden Yuki... And ME? ...I-I can't believe you just said that!" She slipped off the bed anxiously. "No. No! NO! There is no flipping way on this Earth that I will ever care about him! I'll never even LIKE him! He's a stuck-up, arrogant asshole with an E-Hero fetish and lack of concern for anyone besides himself!" 

Alexis's eyes widened at the barrage of insults. "I bet you're just afraid of what everyone else would say! A second year girl going out with a first year guy! Oh no! How scandalous!"

Hannah's eyes narrowed. "I do have a reputation to uphold. Neither I, nor Seto Kaiba care for Jaden. He's only here because he's an "exceptionally good" duelist! But, that's not why I hate him. I hate him because of his attitude." 

Alexis turned away, not understanding what Kaiba had to do with this, but also not wanting to discuss her feelings on the topic. "So, what's going on for the dinner tomorrow?" 

Hannah bit her thumbnail, aware that Alexis was changing the subject on her, but also not wanting to pursue it much farther. "Seto Kaiba has assembled a full-school dinner, separate from the school dance, for tomorrow night. It's basically a standing-up dinner. You come, you socialize, you eat, you leave. That's pretty much the agenda. His wife, Tori, apparently teamed up with Yugi Motou and convinced him to hold such a party."

Alexis's eyes got very round at the last sentence. "Two things: He LISTENED to Yugi Motou? And Kaiba is MARRIED? When did this happen? Where did you learn that?" 

Hannah blushed and looked out and over the balcony ledge. "I... I listen and remember things. It's late. You should go back to your own room." She ushered her friend out the door, smiling brightly. "See you tomorrow!"

Alexis blinked at the door with a mixture of curiosity, confusion, and annoyance. The door didn't blink back. She rotated on her toes and strode down the hallway back to the first years' dorm.

-

Hannah giggled as she popped another bite of fruit into her mouth. Alexis waved at a mixed group of passing girls consisting of Slifer, Ra, and Obelisk students. At the sight of more food being served, Hannah scooped up her plate and trounced down to that end of the table. Alexis was swept along, also intrigued by the new dishes. A few minutes later found the two girls off to the side of the gym, inspecting their finds and tasting each other's dishes. As Alexis reached over to try one of Hannah's sushi, her friend turned away. Alexis looked up in confusion. A hint of rose dusted the shorter girl's ears, all that Alexis could see. Craftily, she scanned the crowd, looking for the perpetrator. Seto Kaiba had just walked in and was deep in conversation with the Principal. Crowler, being the suck-up he was, had planted himself at the Principal's elbow, waiting to be noticed by the Academy's owner. Alexis turned back to her friend in confusion. Jaden was nowhere to be seen. Hannah had started to edge away, towards the door. Alexis touched her shoulder. "Are you okay?" 

Hannah blushed even harder. "Yes. Perfectly fine. Never been better." 

Alexis's eyebrows shot up, partially in confusion, partially in curiosity. "Did you see Jaden? Did he wink at you?" 

Hannah yanked her friend out the door. "Alexis! You can't be serious! You still think that I could possibly like that asshole?" 

Her eyes narrowed in confusion. "So... Wait... Your cousin is married to Kaiba, right?" 

"Yeah, what about it?" 

"...isn't it awkward having a crush on your cousin's hubby?" 

Hannah's eyes got huge, then she threw back her head and started laughing. "You... You think I have a crush on... On SETO? Bahahahaha! I don't have a crush on Seto Kaiba, silly! He's nice, but he's WAY too old for me!" 

Alexis leaned against the wall, rubbing her temples. "So... Why the sudden blush attack?" 

Hannah glanced down modestly, "No reason..." She peeked back in the door before stepping inside. 

Alexis grabbed her arm, pulling her back outside, smirking "You are not going ANYWHERE until you tell me. If it's not Jaden and it's not Seto Kaiba, who is it?" 

Hannah blushed and let her eyes wander over the designs in the intricately carved door. Then, she examined her toenails in her open toed heels. A sharp tug brought her back to reality with a start. A fresh blush washed over her cheekbones and she looked around, trying not to look at Alexis. "Mokie..." she muttered finally. 

Alexis's lips copied the movement of her friend's. "...Mokie?" 

Hannah looked her friend straight in the eye, begging her not to laugh. "Mokuba Kaiba."

Alexis's eyebrows shot up at an alarming speed as she spun to peer inside the gym. It was jam-packed with people, and Seto had moved, though not far through the gym. Sure enough, a slightly shorter, similar-looking, black-haired man stood at Seto's shoulder. Alexis peered over her shoulder at her friend who, for the first time, actually seemed very... Quiet. Even in class, Hannah gave off vibes of hardly contained energy that involved everyone around her and everything she did. Even she daydreamed, Hannah daydreamed with a fierce passion for life that pulsated around her. But... Now that energy had disappeared. Hannah seemed almost... Meek. Alexis was unnerved, to say the least. Those two words, Hannah and meek, didn't belong in the same sentence. What was so amazing about this guy that he could render her to this? He obviously wasn't a slick, easygoing ladies' man. Hannah would never put up with that kind of person. And he couldn't be snub or cocky. Maybe he was a shy boy. Yes, that was it. Wait, no, Hannah detested perfectly capable people that didn't have confidence in themselves. Her brow furrowed in concentration, Alexis almost didn't notice the classy CEO striding towards her. 

Seto paused in the doorway, "Hello Hannah. How are you?" 

Hannah stuttered, "I-I'm well, Seto, thank you. This is my friend Alexis Rhodes." 

Seto nodded at the tall blonde, "Pleased to meet you, Alexis. I've heard of your dueling prowess." 

Alexis nodded her thanks, smiling quietly. 

Seto stepped back to reveal the black-haired man. "This is my brother, Mokuba." The latter nodded and smiled warmly, "Hi." 

Alexis looked at him quizzically, "Are you a duelist too?" 

Mokuba's polite smile stretched into a wide grin. "Me? Nooooo, I leave that to my big bro Seto here." 

Seto grinned, shoving him a little off balance. "That's not true. You duel a little bit. And you did when you were younger." 

Mokuba laughed a little, steadying himself on his taller sibling. "Well, I have a deck, but I'm not obsessed with it like this bad boy is." 

Seto grinned a bit, poking at his brother's ribs, "Shut up, Mokuba." 

A slim, taller woman in a form-fitting red dress and spiky neon orange hair poked her head out the door. "Hey, Seto honey? Where's the- Oh! Hannah!" All four heads turned as the neon orange-haired woman strode out and hugged her tightly.

Hannah grinned and graciously received the embrace. "Tori! Alexis, this is Mrs. Kaiba, Mr. Kaiba's wife, and my cousin." 

Tori giggled like a teen and clasped the blonde's hands, smiling brightly. "Just call me Tori, hun. Mrs. Kaiba makes me sound old." 

Mokuba commented loudly, albeight, playfully. "See, even she does more dueling than me." 

Tori backed off, smiling, and turned to shove him gently. "Shut up, Mokuba." 

Seto chuckled in amusement, a rare sight. "Well, I'll see you two around!" 

Mokuba nodded and smiled, taking the hint, "Nice to meet you Alexis and see you soon, Hannah!" Hannah's heart stopped as he winked and turned, following the CEO and his wife. Her smile melted away. Alexis grinned slyly as she sidled up to her lovestruck friend. Hannah kept her eyes on Mokuba's retreating figure, "He... He knows? D'you think he knows?" 

Alexis pursed her lips, then grinned broadly. "You know Hannah, your face is VERY red. It might have left some hints."

"He talked to you more than he did to me!" Hannah snapped.

A shocked Alexis looked at her friend who was trembling with emotion, then commented defensively, "You're the one that introduced me! Besides, he was only being polite. You've got great taste in guys, Hannah!" 

Hannah blushes and looked away, perching on the stone bench near the door. Alexis smirked in satisfaction, still standing. Before either of them could say anything more, a flash of red with a head of blue shot past them, to the door. Hannah's eyes got huge as she realized what had happened. "Oh, fudge muffins! Syrus heard everything! Everyone will know now..." she buried her face in her hands, which was completely out of character for the short, muscular girl. If at all, Alexis would have expected her friend to chase after the younger, blue-haired boy and rip him apart.

Alexis relaxed onto the stone slab next to her friend. "Isn't that what you want? Then Mokuba will know."

Hannah didn't move. "But, I want to be the one to tell him! Otherwise I'll seem like some scared gossip girl!" 

Alexis pondered what to say. "Well, he is technically your cousin-" 

Hannah drove her fists into her thighs and met her friend's eyes with a fierce energy. "By marriage-" 

Alexis cut her off "-the point is, he'll know that you're not a gossip girl." 

Hannah wiped at her eyes, trying to preserve her mascara. "I guess you're right." 

Alexis hugged her excitedly. "Let's go back inside and enjoy the party. Maybe something special will happen. She pulled her friend to her feet and tugged her inside. Hannah allowed herself to be pulled upright and stumbled after her friend, back among people.

Hannah took the proffered card from her friend. It was a new spell card she had never seen before.

"I got it from Atticus. Apparently he got it when he and Zane got some booster packs. He gave it to me because he decided to stick to one type of deck; I forget what he called it. Oh, Zane is doing a Cyber Style deck." She shuffled the card back into her own deck. Hannah opened her mouth to ask a question, but was interrupted by a door closing in front of them. Jaden Yuki looked up at them.

"Oh, hi Alexis! Hi Hannah!"

"Don't talk to me." Hannah hissed, not wanting to think about him. She wrinkled her lip at him as they passed.

"Why are you so… grouchy?"

"Why don't you go annoy your friends? Oh, right, I forgot. You don't have any because you're such an asshole." Hannah flicked her hair over her shoulder

"Hannah…"

"Stay out of this, Alexis! It's not your fight!" Hannah winced at her own sharp tone. He was really affecting her.

"Hannah, let's duel." She spun back to face him.

"Give me five good reasons why I should even CONSIDER that request." She curled her lip and began walking away from him.

"Hannah Haefeli, I challenge you to a duel! And if I win, you have to be nicer to me."

She paused, looking over her shoulder, past Alexis. "…Okay." She turned back around, squaring her shoulders.

"Y-you don't want anything in return?" he seemed genuinely surprised.

"What I want, you can't give me." Her eyes were narrowed, but her face was expressionless.

Alexis exhaled. "At least they're talking to each other…" she mumbled. Only Hannah heard, but she only flicked her gaze at her friend before returning it to her opponent.

"What are you trying to say?" Jaden's face was dusted with crimson, his eyes wider than a Frisbee.

Hannah gritted her teeth at him, clearly fed up. "It means, you have nothing to offer that I could possibly want. Got it, numbskull? When and where do you want to duel?"

He crossed his arms, obviously confused by her laid-back approach to the duel. "Uh, tonight at 9-"

"Can't." Her arms were crossed, matching her narrowed eyes. "I have things to take care of before curfew, and I don't want to be out later than we're allowed. I have a reputation to uphold for my family, and I will not sacrifice it to keep your dueling needs satisfied." She turned to Alexis. "Let's go."

Jaden gazed after her in slack-jawed astonishment. She had as good as slapped him in the face and called herself a higher, more important being than him. He shut his mouth, shaking his head, and continued down the corridor.


	3. Chapter 3

"Wow…" Hannah gazed up at the ceiling, examining the banners and decorations. Alexis smiled and waved to passing groups of people she knew. The shorter girl lowered her gaze and met people's eyes with a tiny smile. She was always amazed by the output of the school dance committee.

Suddenly, the gym was cast in shadow, with no light except for the fading light through the windows. Then, the huge room was alive with splotches of color traveling on the walls. A voice came over the loudspeaker announcing the dance floor was open. Hannah grabbed Alexis's hand and dragged her over to an open square on the floor. A new song had just started; some pop song that she didn't know. She started rocking out to it, much to Alexis's embarrassment. Three Ra Yellow girls wound their way over and began dancing with Hannah, hip-bumping and breakdancing.

Alexis stood, embarrassed and withdrawn next to her friend. Hannah grabbed the taller girl's hands and tried to get her to do the washing machine, but the lack of energy from her partner forced her to let go. Alexis glanced around the huge room, searching. When she laid eyes on Jaden breakdancing with Jesse, she loosened up a bit, rolling her shoulders. Without warning, she tightened her shoulders but let her arms dangle by the elbows- the Robot. Hannah pop-locked one last time, took one look at her friend, and started laughing happily. One of the Ra Yellow girls tried to copy Alexis's moves, but could not get down to the same combination of loose and tense muscles.

The song switched to a high-tempo Techno song. Hannah stepped off the floor, deciding she didn't like the buzzy instrumentals. She strode eagerly towards the drinks table, and reached thankfully for a bottle of pop. Unscrewing the cap, the pop fizzed and foamed, rising almost to the bottle's rim before deflating. A half-hearted swig wet her throat so she could talk again, but instead she laughed. Syrus and Chazz were dancing together, and Aster Phoenix had joined Jaden and Johan and the three boys had started a Conga line. Zane and Atticus were standing in the corner, chatting. She waved, but only Zane saw, and he simply nodded in her direction. They must be discussing something important.

As she drifted over to the dessert table, another figure came up behind her. His long black hair separated into thick locks that he threw over his shoulders. Nervously, Hannah turned, and stared up into Mokuba's kindly expression. "So... What dessert are you looking at?" He glanced at her empty dish. "Need help serving yourself? Some of these deserts are a two-person job!" He grinned, gesturing at one of the pies that was a pain in the ass to scoop out. She shook her head no, unable to speak. He smiled, touching her shoulder. "I saw you rocking out over there with your Ra Yellow friends. Where did you learn to dance like that?"

She took in a breath. "I lived in Philadelphia for a while with an exchange student. You learn a lot, studying abroad." She grinned mechanically, desperately trying to hide her emotions. He smiled pleasantly.

"Very true. But, Seto would never let me." He rolled his eyes in his brother's direction. Then he winked and excused himself, taking a senior green-haired Slifer Red girl by the hand and leading her out onto the dance floor. Hannah tried very hard to conceal her disappointment, but she didn't succeed. From across the room, Alexis flashed a hand gesture in sign language; she was taking a trip to the lavatory. Hannah waved her on, leaning against the wall for support. What was she doing here? She should have already gone for that jog... but it was already past curfew. She would have to skip it tonight.

Two spotlights shuttered on, illuminating the dance floor. The DJ paused the music so he could announce the beginning of couples' dances. Hannah's eyes widened as three vaguely familiar and much taller boys advanced towards her. She began backing up, her eyes wild with something edging on fear. She spun around, heading for the back door which happened to the garden; her sanctuary during school parties like this. Behind her, more spotlights were flashing on, and finding couples to highlight. A taller figure in red leaned against the door, cowboy style. He straightened and squared his body, blocking her way, as she slowed and approached the door to the outside.

"Hello, Hannah." His shoulders rose and fell as air passed through his lips.

"Jaden." Unconsciously, Hannah narrowed her eyes at him. She really didn't want to deal with him right now. Ever since she had declined his offer to duel, she had been worried he would try to force her to duel him.

"Would you dance with me?" He looked away, as if embarrassed, although no one was within ten feet of them. A spotlight suddenly shot onto them, calling attention to them as a "couple," although Hannah had not yet given her answer. They both winced, shielding their eyes. The shorter girl began breathing heavily in anger and fear, although she was the only one who knew about her anxiety. Arms crossed, her eyes blazing, she glared straight into his eyes.

"Jaden. Don't you DARE tell me that you like me! I've despised you ever since I've laid eyes on you! What makes you think it's any different now? What, are you using me so it looks like you were able to win the heart of the wildest girl in Duel Academy? No, Jaden! No! I don't like you and I never will!" The stress that had been building up inside her broke through the dam. Tears began spilling down her cheeks at the lie. With each sentence he winced visibly, looking like he himself was about to cry. "I will NEVER dance with you! I'll never even hold your hand!" Her shoulders were shaking now. Was she trembling? A shiny line trickled from the corner of his eye as he turned away. For a moment, she almost pitied him. A flashback of the time he fell into the bay assaulted her. She remembered his startled, fearful, and angry expressions, as well as the nonchalant cover-up when she had left. He was just as blinded by passion and emotion as she. She took another look at him, half hidden by darkness, half in the light, hurt by her angry words. She choked, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "I-I'm sorry." She gently placed her hand on his shoulder and tugged, forcing him to face her, although he refused to meet her gaze.

She wiped away his tears and hugged him, not having been so close since the day Mother Nature had thrown him into her in the bay. And that had been only a matter of survival, not choice. Tentatively, he wrapped his own arms around her. She squeezed one last time and released him before he could get carried away, or before the spotlight people could think they were going to make out or something stupid like that. Hannah looked him straight in the eye, "Jaden. I won't dance with you, but can we agree to be friends after me being such a bitch for so long?" He gave a small smile and nodded, offering his hand. She took it and gave a firm shake, smiling tentatively. As he turned away, walking back into the crowd, her shoulders shuddered again. The spotlight disappeared, the crew likely surprised by their split. Her tiny smile quickly sank into a wobbling line, fighting off tears. 

Sadly, she dragged her feet outside, into the garden. She inhaled deeply, clearing her sinuses, although it did nothing to help her empty heart. She sank into the stone bench, resting her elbows on her thighs and her face in her fingertips. She let her fingertips caress her throbbing temples. Her gaze rested on an anthill between her feet. Her anguished, confused expression slowly morphed into one of curiosity. Focusing on one particular ant, she observed its habits, following it up the sandy slope.

As it tumbled down the cone's center hole, a black designer boot appeared, carefully avoiding the anthill. She did not dare look up, her heart skipping a beat. A gentle voice caressed her ears, but she snapped her gray, tear-streaked eyes shut obstinately, trying to block it out, afraid it was not who she wanted it to be. A gentle touch pried her hands away from her ears.  
>"Hannah..." her firmly sealed orbs shot open in surprise at the tender seriousness in his voice. Gray eyes met deepest indigo. Her heart beat even faster. "Will you dance with me?"<p>

-

Hannah couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Mokuba, the guy she loved the most, had just asked her to dance. With him. In the couple's dance. She was stuck between a delivering a flippant remark, a passionate no to hide her true feelings, and saying yes. But his honest, tender mien made all bravado impossible. The only thing that came out of her mouth was a squeak. Hannah, the high-energy, constantly talking teen had lost her voice! 

He smiled kindly at her, slipping his hands into his pockets. A sob choked up her throat, once more. He looked down, lips pursed as he leaned over a bit, reaching for her hand. She didn't resist him as he gently tugged her upright.

"Mokuba, I-"

"Hush." He cut her off, wrapping her in a hug that she so obviously needed but would never admit. Briefly startled, she hesitantly wrapped her arms around his ribcage, her face enveloped in his cloak. He slowly let her go, holding her at arm's length with one hand, the other firmly entwined in her other hand. "Hannah, we may be related, but only by my brother's and your cousin's marriage. I-I'm not sure how you feel about this... " he released his hold on her shoulder. "I hope this doesn't make you feel weird. I don't have a lot of acquaintances that want to be friends for the sake of being friends, and I've met quite a few girls who wanted me for my money and Seto's company. I don't have a lot of experience with girls because of that. I do know that you and Tori aren't like that. But, that's not the point." He looked away, dropping her hand. His back faced her and she swallowed hard, not believing what she was hearing. "Hannah, I... I feel like we're connected in a special way. We haven't spent too much time in each other's company, but already I feel that there's a bond that could never be broken." Hannah forced herself to breathe, eyes on him. What was wrong with her? "I've watched you sometimes." Her eyes widened, slightly unnerved. "When Seto comes to check up on the Academy, I often come with him. I've watched you duel, socialize, run, and even seen you in the cafeteria." he whirled around, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Please don't be creeped out. Most of the time it was by accident, and Seto and I just happened to be passing by. I know this might seem extra awkward since we're related, but... Oh, what am I saying?" he released her, pacing in agitation. "The thing is, Hannah, I very much wish to be a good friend of yours, and, if possible, more than that. I like you very much." His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat. "Now, to answer my question from before, will you dance with me?" A small, hopeful smile lit his features, and ignited Hannah's heart. She yearned to shout yes and hold him tightly. Instead, she backed off, loosening her grip on his hand, letting her fingers slip away.

Silent tears spilled down her cheeks. She shouldn't, couldn't do this. What about Jaden? She shook her head, eyes sealed, sending tears flying. Her fingers met her temples in agitation, trying to rub away the headache. Everything around her vanished. The only thing she was aware of was herself. On one end of the spectrum stood Jaden, her ideological twin by emotions and thinking strategy. She had hated him from the start, but had just found a friend in him. On the other, Mokuba smiled with open arms. She loved him the most, but she had only admitted it out loud to Alexis. And she, Hannah, perched on the balance of the scale. All she had to do was choose whose emotions to preserve.

She bumped back to reality with a start, sitting down hard on the stone bench. Mokuba's face was a mixture of emotions, the foremost being disappointment. And it was that moment that Alexis chose to step outside, searching for her friend.

"Hannah?" She laid eyes on her friend with a smile, but it instantly faded away as she realized the expression on friend's face. Scanning the rest of the garden, she focused on Mokuba, the only other person there. Misreading the situation, her face closed up in anger. "What the hell did you do to her? You bastard!" The tall blonde hurried to her friend's side, sliding next to her on the bench, holding her protectively. Mokuba's expression was pure and utter shock, not understanding.

Suddenly, his face shut down, the new mien pure disdain. He looked nothing like the earnest young man he had been just moments before. "Oh, okay. If THIS is how you feel, Hannah, I guess I won't call on you anymore." He turned on his heels and began striding away. Inside, Seto Kaiba was arguing avidly with Tori, who looked like she was on the verge of tears. Hannah's eyes filled, but she shook off Alexis, who stared after her friend with astonishment. She grabbed Mokuba's wrist, digging her heels into the ground. He began to shake her off, but saw the look on her face. He knew her well enough to be aware of the fact that she hardly ever cried. Hannah couldn't meet his gaze. For the third time that night, fresh tears began to fall. He had stopped trying to leave. It was her move. "Mokuba. I- I just had a fight with Jaden."

"I know. I thought you loved HIM. That's why I came after you when I saw you and he split. I was sure you would say yes if he asked you to dance."

Hannah's eyes widened in astonishment. She gazed up at him, completely tongue-tied. He had not been friendlier because he thought there was something special between her and... Jaden? She would have laughed, had she not been so sad. "Mokuba! Until tonight, Jaden has been my greatest rival!" His eyes widened in astonishment. She laughed shortly. "Yes, Jaden and I never got along. I rejected him, but realized I was being too shallow minded. We hugged and made up." She swallowed, reliving those moments much sooner than she had wanted.

"Why were you crying?" He was still confused.

"I-I'm not exactly sure. But I can tell you right now that I never liked Jaden like that." She breathed deeply, preparing to spill her guts. " I've never told anyone, besides Alexis, my best friend, who I've ever liked." She glanced behind her at her friend, and turned back looked at her feet, nervously. "I-I think I love you, Mokuba. I was afraid to tell you, afraid you might think it weird since we're related, or worse, not share my feelings and avoid me." He looked like he wanted to say something, but she cut him off. "Now, my question is, will YOU dance with ME?"

Alexis hesitantly stood, detouring her friend to give her some privacy. As soon as the tall blonde entered the noisy gym, she was assailed by partnerless boys. Shaking them off, she searched the room, not sure what, or who, she was looking for.

"Looking for someone?" She spun around, startled. A lean, brown-haired boy with a Kuriboh-cut winked at her. "The last I saw of Hannah, she was out in the garden."

Alexis smiled gently at him. "I know. I found her." Then, her jaw line hardened as she put two and two together. "What happened? She was really upset!"

His golden hazel eyes widened at her change in attitude. "I... It's complicated. We just had a little squabble, that's all. But, we made up, this time for good, hopefully." He smiled in relief as her hostile features relaxed.

His face instantly became dusted with crimson, his tongue tied in knots. "I- uhh… I-" she moved a little closer, turning his nose and ears even redder.

She smirked a little, drawing his hand into her own. "Let's go. Unless you want to dance with someone else?" She pretended to pout, making him smile nervously.

"I- I guess." He followed him onto the dance floor, keeping his eyes solely on her, pretending not to notice when a spotlight flickered briefly over them, claiming them as a couple. She paused in an empty square on the floor, turning to face him. Tentatively, she rested her fingertips on his shoulders, shivering as he lowered his hands onto her hips. Throwing caution aside, she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly, not caring what he might think. Taken by surprise, he choked a little. Before he could ask her to loosen her grip, she pulled away, leaving her arms hanging from his neck by intertwined fingers. Smiling up at him, she laid her head on his shoulder. He nuzzled her gently, inhaling the scent of her shampoo.

Off to their left, Hannah and Mokuba had assumed a similar position. Swaying to the long, flowing notes emitting from the speakers, Hannah gazed lovingly up into Mokuba's open, personable face. How anyone could harm such a selfless person was beyond her. He leaned down to whisper something in her ear. Her face split in two as she nuzzled his neck, nibbling at him playfully. He chuckled, shaking his hair over his shoulder to protect his neck from any hickeys. She pretended to pout, punching his shoulder gently. He slipped his hands up her back, leaving his left hand at her shoulder blade, the other cradling the back of her head. He leaned in, molding his lips over hers. Her eyes shot wide open, surprised by his sudden movement. Then, she relaxed, her hands sliding down to his chest in loose fists, molding her body against his, asking for more. He slipped his left hand back down into the small of her back, still cradling her head in his right. He angled his head, slipping his tongue between her parted lips, asking for entry. She grinned mid-kiss, breaking off as she became aware of a much taller person standing over them.

Professor Crowler crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently. "No kissing on school proper… ty…" he bit his tongue, his eyes bulging when he realized who the black-haired boy was. "M-Mr. Kaiba! Er, um, heh, uh…" Crowler backed up into Jaden and Alexis, both of whom glared at him. His eyes widened in shock, seeing his worst and best student together on the dance floor. By this time, several more pairs of students had stopped dancing, staring at their teacher in disapproval and/or nervousness. Sliding away as unnoticeably as possible, Crowler still caught many more pairs of eyes as he skedaddled off the floor, much to the Principal's and Seto Kaiba's amusement. Tori lay her head on her husband's shoulder, winking at her cousin on the dance floor.

Hannah blinked, surprised. How long had she known? I didn't matter now though. She glanced over at Alexis, who smirked, nuzzling Jaden, who was exactly her height. Hannah rolled her eyes as she met his gaze. The green-haired Slifer Red girl who Mokuba had danced with earlier was now dancing with Zane. Atticus had also found a partner in a violet-haired girl. Looking to the far side of the room, Hannah almost stopped dead in her tracks. Syrus and Chazz were dancing! And so was Jesse and Aster! Were they gay? None of them had struck her as being so. Were they just dancing? Probably not. Chazz would NEVER dance with another guy if he was straight. She wrinkled her nose, thinking. The more she looked, the more natural it seemed. She smiled to herself, glad they had found partners.

What was wrong with her? Why was she making judgments about the other couples in the room? Was her enamoration with Mokuba making her soft? She looked down, ashamed of her doubts.

"Hey." A throaty whisper brought her back to the present. She met his gaze mournfully. "Y'all right there, space cadet?" He poked her non-existent belly, searching for a laugh.

She giggled, trying to hold on to her mournful façade, but finding it impossible. "Stoppit!" she swatted at his hand, clutching his finger like a toddler would. He raised his eyebrows at the form of contact and the shape their hands made, making her blush mercilessly, releasing his finger. He smirked at her, taking her hands in his own, drawing them up between the two of them. He leaned in, putting his mouth to her ear, "What do you say we… have a picnic or something this weekend? There's a place on the grounds we could relax at."

She smiled up at him. "That sounds perfect. Text me when a time works out for you." She released his hands as the slow dancing tune switched to a peppy one. He gazed after her. She stepped off the floor, striding purposely for the door.

As she stepped into the cool island air, a masculine hand tapped her shoulder. Spinning around, she found Mokuba waiting with a flower in his hand. She felt her hair; it had fallen out. As she reached out to take it from him, he closed the gap with a chaste kiss, tucking the flower behind her ear. "Goodnight, Hannah." His fingers caressed her cheek. Then, he was gone.

She pressed her fingers to her lips with a soft smile, throwing her arm out in the direction he had left, coattails rippling in the dusk. "Goodnight, Mokuba."


End file.
